Monitoring and Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Asia

UNU-IAS has initiatives geared towards strengthening of research and support for capacity building on POPs that are regulated by the Stockholm Convention, particularly of developing countries in the Asian region for the purpose of establishing proper management of environmental contaminants based on scientific monitoring procedures, focusing on the hydrosphere. From its launching in 1996, the project has contributed to the establishment of open capacity-building network that provide learning environment as well as the achievement of sound management of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) regionally.

The monitoring of PFCs in the environment – water, sediment, biota and drinking water – have been conducted in ten Asian partner countries – China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – under the project’s Phase VII (2016-2018). The project has assisted in the implementation of the Stockholm Convention in these countries, yet the role of this project should have more to be explored for developing capacities to carry out scientific policy-oriented work at various levels of governance. The overall project’s contribution is not only with respect to the Stockholm Convention on POPs, but also in the context of the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.